Participate in Spay Day International
The 16th annual Spay Day takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010, with events and activities in honor of Spay Day taking place throughout the month of February. The information on this page will help you decide how you'd like to participate—as an event organizer, volunteer, online fundraiser, spay/neuter sponsor or corporate sponsor.
Special information is provided for veterinary and media professionals. Be sure to review the Spay Day Event Planning Guide and, if you haven't already, let us know Spay Day Event Organizer profile. Doing so will ensure you are kept up-to-date with the latest Spay Day happenings!
Ways to Participate
Resources to Review
Get Spay Day Posters
Organize an Event
Host an event on the last Tuesday of February (Spay Day International) or any time during the month of February. The main objective of Spay Day International is to inspire as many people as possible to have their pets—or other animals in need—spayed or neutered in conjunction with the campaign. Additional objectives include raising money to provide spays or neuters for animals whose caretakers need assistance, and informing people of the urgency, safety and necessity of spaying or neutering their pets. You can organize a spay/neuter, fundraising or educational event for Spay Day International.
1. Spay/neuter events involve the spaying or neutering of animals, or the distribution of spay/neuter vouchers for animals to be spayed or neutered at a later date. Most event organizers arrange for special, discounted or free* spays or neuters to be made available, particularly to low-income pet owners, homeless shelter animals awaiting adoption, or feral cat colony caretakers. Others use different means to motivate people to schedule that spay/neuter appointment, such as offering a prize drawing, hosting a spay/neuter party (free cookies and punch for everyone who brings in their pet!), or providing special information about the many lifesaving benefits of spaying and neutering. Spay/neuter events may also include fundraising and educational elements.
2. Fundraising events involve raising money to subsidize the cost of spays and neuters performed during or after Spay Day International. Raffles, bake sales, "spay-ghetti" dinners, benefit concerts and shelter open houses are just a few examples of fundraising events that some organizers have found to be successful.
3. Educational events include activities like setting up a table and distributing literature, holding a Spay Day International essay contest or writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
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| "My Dog Jelly" distributes Spay Day brochures in New Jersey, USA.© Paula Jensen |
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To get started planning your event, download the Spay Day Event Planning Guide and check out the Spay Day International Action Kit page.
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Volunteer at an Event
| Event Planning Guide |
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Download and review the Spay Day Event Planning Guide [PDF] and get started organizing your Spay Day 2010 event! Note: The guide was created for Spay Day USA, but is also relevant to international events. |
Volunteers are often needed for a variety of important tasks at Spay Day International events. For example, during spay/neuter clinics volunteers may assist with greeting and checking in clients, and monitoring recovering animals. Other volunteer positions include staffing information tables, hosting fundraising parties, and helping to publicize the event. Please check with the organizer of the event in your area for more information about volunteer opportunities.
If event volunteers are not needed in your area, you can still participate in Spay Day International by:
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Spay or Neuter Your Pet
Think your unaltered pet has nothing to do with pet overpopulation? Think again!
Despite the best intentions, accidents happen—an unneutered housecat will slip out the front door, or an unspayed female dog will be visited in her backyard by a stray male who dug under the fence—and unexpected litters of helpless kittens and puppies are born. By having your pet spayed or neutered, you are ensuring she or he does not contribute to the tragedy of pet overpopulation. In addition, you are reducing or eliminating your pet's risk of contracting certain cancers which can kill your pet and are expensive to treat. Spay/neuter is a win-win for you, your pet, and your community!
Please do not wait until Spay Day International to have your pet spayed or neutered. Call a veterinarian in your area and make that spay/neuter appointment now. Your local animal shelter may have recommendations of local veterinarians, or you can ask your friends and neighbors.
If the cost of spay/neuter surgery in your area is truly difficult for you to afford, the following programs and ideas may help:
- Ask your veterinarian if he or she will let you work out a payment plan. Many veterinarians are willing to work out a weekly or monthly payment plan so that you do not have to pay the entire cost of veterinary care up front.
- Use your credit card. Ask for a higher credit limit or a cash advance.
- Ask friends or family members for a loan.
- Contact your local animal shelter. They may run an ongoing spay/neuter clinic; know of a local, subsidized clinic; or they may offer vouchers for a discount at a local veterinary office.
- Contact your regional HSI office. Our regional offices are often familiar with organizations in their region and they may be able to tell you of spay/neuter clinics or shelters in your area.
- HSI recommends that, in addition to preparing for routine pet-care costs, you regularly set aside savings to cover for unexpected veterinary bills. Create a special "pet savings account" and contribute money to it on a regular basis. Even a setting aside just a small amount out of every paycheck can help offset the expense of future veterinary costs.
Remember that, even if you pay full price for the procedures, spaying or neutering is a one‑time cost with a lifetime of benefits. Spaying or neutering your pet not only helps curb pet overpopulation but also reduces your pet's risk of succumbing to many health problems. It remains one of the best bargains in animal health care. Learn more about the benefits of spaying or neutering your pet »
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Sponsor the Spay or Neuter of an Animal in Need
You can also participate in Spay Day International by sponsoring the spay or neuter of an animal awaiting adoption at your local shelter, a feral cat, or the beloved pet of someone in need of financial assistance.
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Become a Corporate Sponsor
Have a product or service that you’d like to market to pet guardians or the animal welfare community? Spay Day International corporate sponsorships can help companies achieve their marketing and public relations goals. Through our many outreach vehicles, we help companies promote their products/services to new audiences; build relationships with local animal welfare organizations; provide exposure to HSI's constituents; and align with a cause that resonates with the general public. Help end pet homelessness while reaching new customers. Email corprelations@humanesociety.org to learn more.
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Veterinarians and Vet Techs: Offer Your Skills
Veterinarians are vital to the success of Spay Day International. Without your involvement, spay/neuter surgeries would simply not be possible.
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| Animal Advocates of Moore Co. |
Neutering of feral cats is performed during
the Animal Advocates of Moore Co.'s Spay
Day 2007 event in North Carolina, USA. |
The following are just a few suggested ways you can participate in Spay Day International.
- Find a Spay Day International event near you, and ask if you can join their team.
- Form or join a coalition of local veterinarians and hold a city, county, or statewide Spay Day International event.
- Offer your existing clients—or only new clients—a special discount on all spay/neuter surgeries performed during the month of February, the last week of February, or just on the last Tuesday of February (Spay Day International).
- Contact your local animal shelter and volunteer to spay or neuter a certain number of adoptable animals at no charge. Ask the shelter to provide the animals' adopters with your business card for follow-up health care visits.
- Write an op-ed or letter to the editor of your local newspaper educating readers about Spay Day International and the importance of spay/neuter.
Vet techs are also important to Spay Day International's success! As a vet tech, you can:
- Encourage your vet clinic to host an event.
- Volunteer at a local humane shelter's event.
- Discuss the importance of spay/neuter with clients whose pets are not yet altered.
- Distribute information about Spay Day International and the importance of spay/neuter.
More information is available in the Spay Day Event Planning Guide.
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Media Professionals: Cover Spay Day International
During Spay Day International, people around the world will come together to fight the tragedy of companion animal euthanasia by spaying or neutering their pets.
To interview an expert on companion animal issues or to find out more about the Spay Day International events taking place worldwide throughout the month of February, contact Martin Montorfano at 301-258-3152 or mmontorfano@humanesociety.org in HSI's Public Relations department.
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Learn About Spay Day International
Spay Day International takes place each year on the last Tuesday of February. Created by the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) in 1995, Spay Day USA became a program of The Humane Society of the United States when DDAL combined operations with The HSUS in 2006, and went international in 2007.
Spay Day International is an international day of action to promote the spaying or neutering of pets and street animals. During Spay Day International, veterinarians and their staff, animal welfare professionals, business owners and citizens join forces nationwide to provide spay/neuter services and to promote spay/neuter as an essential component of good pet health care, as well as an effective and humane means of decreasing the euthanasia of homeless animals in shelters.
During Spay Day USA's first 14 years, participants spayed or neutered more than 1,418,000 animals! When you consider that an unspayed cat can give birth to 18 kittens each year and an unspayed dog can give birth to 20 puppies each year, it's clear that Spay Day participants have, potentially, prevented millions of surplus births.
Questions?
If you have additional questions about Spay Day International, please e-mail us at spayday@hsi.org
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Updated November 5, 2009.
